


Between the Wolf and the Snake

by RowenaBlackLupin



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Implied Sexual Content, Minor Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:21:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25642720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RowenaBlackLupin/pseuds/RowenaBlackLupin
Summary: Remus Lupin has returned to work at Hogwarts and nothing has been the same in Hermione's world since then. Harry and Ron suspect nothing but Draco Malfoy does, and he won't let a werewolf stand between him and the woman he desires. Who will win Hermione's heart?
Relationships: Hermione Granger & Remus Lupin
Kudos: 1





	1. A feeling is born

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The war against Voldemort is over. Remus Lupin has returned to work at Hogwarts and nothing is the same in Hermione's world.

It seemed the nightmare for the magical community in the UK was over. A few hours ago Lord Voldemort and his army of Death Eaters were defeated by The Order of the Phoenix and many other brave wizards and witches who joined the cause.

That last decisive battle took place at Hogwarts Castle. Not even Albus Dumbledore could prevent the school from being invaded by the dark wizards; he tried to plan a strategy so that the inevitable encounter between Harry Potter and the Dark Lord would take place somewhere else where collateral damage could be minimized as much as possible, but Voldemort had gone ahead.

\- Professor Dumbledore- Draco Malfoy had warned him- Voldemort wants to invade Hogwarts tonight... I must be the one to lead him into to the castle. If not, the Unbreakable Vow will kill my parents and me...

No one expected that months ago the Malfoy's loyalty had changed. Though they were still the same arrogant people they had always been, and still had a certain contempt for those who were not of pure blood, they were terrified of the atrocities Voldemort was capable of. Narcisa and Draco Malfoy had secretly made a pact with Dumbledore, and from then on, same as Snape, they were acting as double agents.

\- Then the strategy must be changed- said Dumbledore as he called the Order of the Phoenix to his office.

Malfoy's warning had given them enough time to evacuate the younger students from the school and to give those who were already old enough to fight, the choice of staying to defend the castle or leaving it before the Death Eaters arrived.

It was at sunset that Draco had no choice but to obey Voldemort's order and bring the first battalion of Death Eaters into the castle, where all the defenders were already on guard.

At the end of the fierce battle, the heads of the houses of the school set up the Great Hall as a community dormitory for all those who wished to spend the night in the castle. Although Voldemort and much of his army had been defeated, it was not yet possible to trust that peace would be restored immediately. It was better to stay alert in case the fugitive Death Eaters and snatchers could still cause any disturbances.

Professor Dumbledore had instructed that it would be better that Harry Potter and his inseparable friends, Ron and Hermione, should also stay at the school until they were certain that they could return to the streets without any risk.

\- We'd better be careful- the headmaster had added- the Death Eaters are likely to try to attack the castle again, so we'll have to take turns standing guard.

***********

And there she was at the early morning hours, lying on her back inside her sleeping bag and staring at the ceiling of the Great Hall, which showed a beautiful night sky free of clouds. She looked to her right; Ron was sound asleep, even with his mouth slightly open and snoring. She looked to her left; Harry's place was empty. He was on duty standing guard at the entrance of the Great Hall.

Regarding her, she could not sleep. Although she felt physically exhausted, her mind was racing. She couldn't stop going over the details of that day's battle... the danger, the adrenaline, the fear of losing her loved ones...

\- "Thank God that wasn’t the case”- she thought, feeling deep gratitude in her heart. Tired of lying down, she decided to sit down. She looked around; apparently everyone was asleep.

Certainly there had been unfortunate casualties among the Hogwarts defenders but none of the people in her inner circle were on the list. Only Charlie and Percy Weasley had been injured by a curse but they had been taken to St. Mungo and the prognosis for their recovery was optimistic; Sirius Black had suffered some injuries too but none serious. And Remus Lupin... he had not exactly been wounded but that precise night, in the middle of the battle, his lycanthropy was present in spite of the fact that it was barely New Moon...

What happened to him was very strange but it didn't matter because thanks to his brave intervention, Harry was finally able to defeat Voldemort. Everyone there had witnessed that.

********** Flash Back **********

That night was the new moon. No one would have imagined that Remus' lycanthropy would be present even in the absence of a full moon.

From one moment to the next, in the midst of the fierce battle, the terrible metamorphosis began, it could not be stopped. In a few seconds a wolf with gray fur appeared in place of the man and the members of the Order of the Phoenix believed that it was the beginning of the disaster, as there were other werewolves present in the place, led by Fenrir Greyback; but strangely none were transforming, Remus Lupin was the only one.

The wolf looked around. In a split second he saw his friend Sirius Black approaching him with concern, a group of Death Eaters trying to attack him with various spells, an exhausted Albus Dumbledore dueling Bellatrix Lestrange, a brown-haired girl trying to lead an unconscious red-haired boy into a safe corner, a boy with green eyes and black hair being cornered by Voldemort...

With amazing agility he attacked the Death Eaters around him. He threw himself directly into the neck of one of them, causing a hemorrhage that killed him within minutes. After a few jumps, he found himself behind Voldemort and attacked him from behind. As Voldemort fell, he threw his magic wand. Harry was about to cast a spell on him, but four Death Eaters appeared around his master, three of whom began to attack the green-eyed boy. The Death Eater who stood next to Voldemort pointed his wand at the wolf, screaming:

- _Homorphus!-_ The spell hit him but had no effect on him. Remus was still in his wolf form.

Voldemort's horrible gaze took on a glow of pleasure at seeing Remus like that; he knew what the way to kill a werewolf was and was determined to do it. He reached out his hand to the side and his magic wand returned to it; already armed again, the Dark Lord exclaimed:

_-Capitia Sectum!_

Sirius, upon realizing what was about to happen, let out a cry of terror; that curse would decapitate the Lycan... all the fighting stopped at once, and everyone watched Voldemort and the werewolf. The Death Eaters rejoiced and the others were horrified.

But suddenly it happened:

_-"Impedimenta!-_ Remus shouted just in time. Inexplicably he had regained his human form, and equally surprising was that even without his magic wand he managed to cast the defense spell, which had come from the palms of his hands. Voldemort himself was surprised.

_\- Argentum Incarcerous!_ \- He shouted furiously in an attempt to capture the werewolf with silver chains that had just sprouted from the tip of his wand.

- _Protego!-_ He defended himself again using only his hands, and with a quick movement he threw the silver chains back to Voldemort, who had no time to react and within a couple of seconds he was imprisoned by the same spell he had tried to use against Lupin.

-Kill the wolf!- cried Bellatrix Lestrange frantically from afar.

Remus was exhausted, he felt that he was going to fade away but summoning up the last of his strength, he raised his hands and shouted at the top of his lungs:

_\- Mortifagus in cavea!_

The Death Eathers who were near him fell prey to the enchanted cages which appeared around them. Then, with the road clear, it was Harry who applied the final curse to end the Dark Lord's life once and for all.

Remus could endure no more, and collapsed unconscious. His naked, scarred body gave off a silvery glow...

********** End Flash Back **********

Suddenly Hermione was curious to see how the above-mentioned man was doing. The St. Mungo Healers who arrived at Hogwarts to nurse the injured had announced that the lycan was weakened as a result of all of his energy spent on combat.

She simply got up and headed for the corner near the entrance, where she knew the healers had installed him for his recovery. They had even drawn up some white curtains that floated around where he was in order to provide him with some privacy.

Silently, Hermione stepped through them and found the young werewolf lying on a stretcher. His body still had the slight silvery glow that had covered him since the end of the battle. He was covered up to his waist with a white sheet and his naked torso could be seen, full of scars made over so many years of suffering the transformations caused by his curse. On one side of the stretcher was a small table with a pair of flasks from which came out tubes that supplied him with a revitalizing serum through an intravenous line.

Although he was deeply asleep he seemed agitated; in fact his face (which also had a couple of scars running diagonally across it) was tense and mumbled in his sleep something that Hermione couldn't understand.

\- “It seems he is having a nightmare"- she thought. Without hesitation she took her magic wand, and pointing to Remus she whispered:- "Succubus expelio!”

Clearly some kind of black smoke came out of his head; with that spell Hermione had driven away the bad dream. Instantly he seemed to calm down, even his face acquired a peaceful expression. And Hermione stood beside him, watching him sleep; thinking how brave he was that day, finding him so worthy of admiration, enraptured by the silvery glow of his body, finding him so beautiful...

She jumped when she realized that someone had discovered her standing there staring at the Lycanthrope. It was Sirius Black, who had just slipped through the curtains just as she had. He flashed a small smile and asked quietly:

\- Is everything all right here?

Hermione felt a slight warmth rise in her face, she knew immediately that she was blushing and was grateful that due the darkness of the night Sirius wasn’t aware of that.

\- Yes- she answered looking at the animagus, trying to sound casual- I was... it seems that Remus was having a nightmare.

\- It's posible- agreed Sirius, turning to his friend- it usually occurs after he turns into a... you know…

Hermione stared once again at the werewolf.

\- The way he confronted Voldemort...- she said, not concealing her astonishment.

\- He was very brave- added Sirius. Hermione smiled slightly.

\- Oh, yes...

They both stood there in silence for a few more moments, until Sirius said:

\- Hey, you should go back to sleep. He's fine now, he just needs to rest. I can stay here for the rest of the night.

Actually Hermione didn't feel like moving from there, but she preferred not to argue with Sirius; she left in silence and went back to her sleeping bag. As she settled down to try again to fall asleep, she discovered herself having the desire of kissing the lycanthrope's forehead before leaving...

***********

During the following weeks, the damage to Hogwarts during the battle was repaired; teachers, members of the Order of the Phoenix, students, their families and other volunteers were actively involved and managed to leave the castle completely rehabilitated a month before the start of classes.

Harry wanted to go and spend the rest of the summer with his godfather but was unable to do so because, thanks to Dumbledore's influence, the Ministry of Magic agreed to hold a trial to absolve Sirius of all charges against him, including his escape from Azkaban.

Hermione, on the other hand, had nowhere to go because months before, in order to protect his parents, he had changed their memory and implanted in them the idea of leaving England. So both friends spent their last days of vacation at The Burrow with the Weasleys.

On September 1st they returned to Hogwarts for their seventh and final year. To the surprise of many, Draco Malfoy also returned to school, apparently with a much less despotic and presumptuous attitude than in previous years. The new minister of magic had conditioned his return to Hogwarts on him attending Muggle Studies and passing with an outstanding grade.

The school year began and gradually the magic community returned to normal.

* * *

It was a cloudy day at the end of January and professor Remus Lupin was teaching the seventh graders at Gryffindor.

However, this was not the same pale, sickly, poorly dressed teacher who had taught them Defense Against the Dark Arts three years earlier. In the last few months he looked healthier and even dressed a little better, a reflection that his financial health was also on the mend. The latter was because Professor Dumbledore had managed to secure funding from the Ministry of Magic for the Order of the Phoenix and was able to pay a salary to both Sirius and Remus, who had been engaged full-time in the Order's missions.

In addition, the Order of Merlin First Class with which Remus had been awarded after the war had been accompanied by a good financial remuneration. Although this was not a fortune, it was a decent amount to begin to capitalize on.

\- and well... who can tell me how to destroy an Inferius?- he asked.

\- With a stake- said Seamus Finnigan.

\- Wrong- answered the profesor- that method only works for vampires.

\- With a silver bullet?- asked Neville Longbottom.

\- Wrong.

\- With holy water?- tried Dean Thomas.

\- Wrong! Religious objects are just related to Muggle superstitions about vampires!- answered Lupin, beginning to lose patience. He was a little despaired that these Young wizards and witches, who bravely fought in the war against Voldemort, were not getting a simple right answer in his class. Then Hermione Granger raised her hand.- Yes, Miss Granger?

\- The only known weakness of the Inferi is light and heat, profesor- she hesitated, and in reply Remus raised both hands and looked up to the sky thankful that at last someone was saying something that made sense.

\- Right- said Lupin, pleased with the answer given by his student- and could you tell me what spells might be useful in this case?

\- Well... if it's just one Inferius, it won't be a problem to destroy it with _Lumos Maxima_... but I personally would prefer _Lumos Solem_ ; it's more powerful.

\- Excellent, Hermione! 10 points for Gryffindor!

At that moment the bell indicating lunchtime rang. As usual, all the pupils picked up their books and left the classroom quickly.

The only one still there, however, was Hermione, who carefully picked up her books, scrolls, and pens in her backpack. For a few months now, she was the first to arrive at the DADA classroom and the last one to leave.

Professor Lupin watched her carefully from his desk with a slight smile. She felt his gaze and became a little nervous.

\- Come on Hermione, lunch is waiting- said Remus gently.

\- Y-yes, professor, let's go- said the girl, closing her rucksack and draping it over her shoulder. She took the book she used to read in her free time and went to the exit where the professor was waiting.

He closed the door behind him and walked beside Hermione to the Great Hall.

\- It was an interesting class today, wasn't it?- he said.

\- Of course. It has been so since we got you back, profesor- said Hermione as she blushed a little.

\- Oh, thank you very much, Hermione. You're an excellent student.

-...- She didn't say anything. She just felt her stomach shrink. Lupin looked at her and smiled.

\- Listen, I have an hour off this afternoon, so please let your classmates know that if they wish, I will be giving extra advice on how to prepare for the NEWTs. You can come too- he suggested.

The girl's face began to take on a pinkish hue.

\- I-I... well... why not? I'll be there- she said, feeling a chill- I mean, I'll tell the others too.

\- Great. I'll be waiting for you, guys.

When they arrived at the Great Hall, they went their separate ways.

***********

That afternoon Hermione went quickly to her room to comb her hair and get ready. It was just a counseling session, she knew, but she wanted to look pretty; she wasn't particularly vain like her classmates Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown, but since Remus Lupin had returned to Hogwarts as a teacher, she always put a little extra care into her appearance.

She rushed downstairs to the common room when she suddenly found Ron Weasley and Harry Potter, her best friends. They were in the middle of a magic chess game.

\- Where are you going? -Harry asked her, looking up from the board at her.

\- Uh... I'm going... To the Defense Against the Dark Arts advisory. You're not going, are you?- she questioned, looking at them reproachfully but secretly whishing that they would not be willing to stop their game.

She felt her heart beating strongly in her chest, and in less than she thought she was already in front of the door of Lupin's office, located on the second floor.

The door was ajar. She poked her head out as she gently knocked on the door, drawing the attention of the young teacher who had looked away from the desk to give her a warm smile.

\- You are the first to arrive, Hermione- he said as she entered the room- Neville Longbottom sent me a note saying that he would not be coming because he would be in advisory with Professor Flitwick. Did anyone else confirm if they would be attending?

-...- Hermione shook her head. Remus shrugged.

\- Well, I suppose it's my fault for not letting anyone know before- he said casually- it seems it's just you and me...

Hermione still couldn't believe how lucky she was. The professor showed her her seat and she settled down until she felt much calmer.

He sat down on the other side of the desk and with a wave of his wand he made a teapot and two cups appear. For a moment an uncomfortable silence reigned in the office.

\- Well- said Lupin, bringing a cup to her and looking into her eyes. She blushed a bit- The last time you visited me after the full moon you told me that you were not yet sure about what you are going to do when you graduate from Hogwarts.

She smiled slightly and replied:

\- I still haven't decided... at least not about the studies. You know, what worries me most at the moment is finding my parents...

For a moment his eyes took on an air of sadness. The issue of her parents made her sensitive.

\- Oh, right... - agreed Remus - that's also very important. As for your future career, it doesn't matter if you're a year or two behind in starting it. You are very talented and you will be very successful in whatever field you want to specialize in.

Hermione giggled nervously.

\- Do you really think so?

\- Of course I do.

\- But I'm not as good as you are: your help and knowledge made it easier to kill Voldemort.

-...- Lupin thought for a few moments. Hermione added:

\- I'm very happy that the Ministry and the Wizengamot have awarded you the Order of Merlin First Class. And what you did at the ceremony... the speech you delivered... it was really admirable...

Remus smiled and shook his head.

\- An Order of Merlin is not everything. Of course I am glad to have been awarded but beyond that, I hope that soon others in my same condition will have the opportunities I am having now.

Hermione looked at him enraptured.

\- So it will be. You've set a great precedent for what a werewolf is capable of. I also hope this will help mitigate the negative prejudices that many still have about them.

\- I am aware that there are still many people who do not approve the fact that I have returned to Hogwarts; although Albus will not tell me, I know that there are still parents and people from the Ministry who have expressed their disagreement...

And so they continued talking for a long time: every now and then Remus would smile at his pupil warmly, and she answered enthusiastically. By this time in the afternoon, the advice for DADA's NEWT's had vanished from their minds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I really hope that you like this fanfiction. You may also find it in Wattpad and Fanfiction.net
> 
> Follow my facebook page ROWENA BLACK LUPIN FANFICTION. There you'll find sneek peeks of coming chapters and some other content related to the Wizarding World!


	2. Liquid Courage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is a potion that takes away the shyness to do something that you wouldn't normally do... what would Hermione do if she drinks it?

\- Great!- said Hermione as he hurried down the stairs to the second floor - I'll be late for class with Snape...

She took a sudden turn at high speed and hit something, or rather someone much taller than her. The impact brought her to the ground immediately; all the books came out of her case and scattered on the floor.

It took Hermione a few seconds to get a good grasp of what was going on; her vision was blurred, but she could clearly see another person on the floor.

She stared at the floor for a moment until her vision cleared, she looked up slowly and there was a man sitting in front of her.

\- Did you get hurt?- he asked gently.

\- "Oh no, this can’t be happening"- she thought as she felt a tingling in her stomach- Professor, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to...- she said nervously as she quickly picked up her books.

\- Good morning to you too, Hermione- said Professor Lupin as he too began to collect his things with a friendly smile on his perfectly shaved face. Hermione was intending to pick up a scroll of the professor, who was beside her. Suddenly their hands met and she felt the warmth of his skin. She instantly looked up and found his blue eyes.

\- "Oh God, now I can die peacefully,"- she thought as her face took on unimaginable red colors.

Remus was aware of that and took the scroll feeling somewhat awkward at the way the girl was staring at him.

\- Where were you headed in such a hurry?- he asked as he stood up and tucked in his light green robe, while Hermione continued in some sort of trance.

\- Uh... OH!! To class with Snape- she said as she realized she was ten minutes late - OH NO! CLASS WITH SNAPE, I'M GETTING TEN THOUSAND POINTS DOWN!

\- Okay- said Remus now looking worried- Hermione, I've noticed you've been acting a little distracted lately, are you okay? -he asked her, approaching her to help her get up.

She nodded nervously. How could she be all right, if since he had returned to be her teacher again, she couldn't help feeling hypnotized?

She ran as fast as she could to the dungeons and when she arrived, she opened the door slowly and noticed that her classmates were already taking lesson.

\- Excuse me, profesor- said the girl in a thin voice.

\- Granger... Fifteen minutes late, where the hell have you been?- replied Snape with the typical disdain he used for the pupils from Gryffindor.

\- I...

The girl was extremely nervous, she didn't know what to say. Despite having survived the last magical war, she was still intimidated by Snape's scolding and bad mood.

\- Calm down, Severus- said a soft voice behind her- Miss Granger is late because she was in my office.

Snape looked with some hatred at the person who had spoken, since he was stealing from him the opportunity of lowering points from Gryffindor.

\- Still, Lupin. That is no excuse- countered Snape harshly.

\- Of course not, Severus- said Remus calmly- but I had to deliver her a message from Professor Dumbledore. You should remember that Miss Granger has to fulfill certain responsibilities as a prefect...

Snape pursed his lip in despair, not knowing what to do. He glared at Lupin and then turned, waving his robe in the air as he walked briskly to his desk.

\- Miss Granger, what are you still doing at the door...? Sit down and make the potion- he said with a sullen tone. Hermione looked at Remus gratefully. He winked at her.

\- No need to thank- he whispered before leaving.

Hermione glanced over to her classmates and saw that Neville was the only one alone, so she went over to him.

\- What do we have to do?- she asked him quietly.

\- A remedy that takes away the shyness to do something- he began to explain, confused.

\- The unleashing potion? - asked Hermione, settling down beside the boy. He shrugged- this is unexpected, we were supposed to study this subject by the end of the semester... anyway...

\- I have no idea how to make it- warned Neville.

\- No problem- she said smiling, although she was very sorry to have to team up with Neville. At least in potions.

\- Remember: after adding the deer liver juice, you must stir and wait seven minutes before adding the poppy root- snarled Snape- and now I warn you that anyone who doesn't do it right must drink his own... stir.

Snape´s gaze settled for a few moments on Hermione and Neville, as his pale, greasy face held a pout that could be a smile. They set to work.

As the girl chopped the poppy root according to the recipe, she remembered with a smile the time she had spent the previous evening and moments before with Professor Lupin. Unable to help herself, she sighed softly.

Suddenly she began to feel pain in her finger. She looked down and noticed that she had cut herself with the knife. Well, she was really too distracted to notice that.

\- Are you all right?- Neville asked worriedly- you're bleeding.

\- Don't worry, it's nothing serious- replied Hermione, clumsily tossing the bits of poppy root into the potion. Her finger began to bleed exaggeratedly, and without her or her partner noticing, several drops of blood fell into the potion.

\- You'd better go to the nursery. I can get on with the job- suggested Neville.

\- No...- refused Hermione quickly - or Snape will be angry.

As she could, she improvised some sort of bandage to try and stop the bleeding. Although her finger hurt, it still didn't wipe away her smile as they continued to work.

\- ... No Neville, you added too much... - began to say Hermione when a voice cut her off.

\- Your time is up- said Snape; the forty-minute period for preparing the potion was over. He went over to Malfoy and Zabini's cauldron and took some out to check it.

\- Mmm... Excellent work. 20 points for Slytherin, each.

Then, with a gleam of malice, he approached Harry and Ron and examined their potion closely. Moments later he withdrew with a gesture of disappointment; he had found nothing to criticize or lower Gryffindor's points.

Then the nearest cauldron was that of...

\- Granger and Longbottom... let's see what we have here.

Everyone was silent; Snape poured a dose of the potion into a glass and...

\- WHAT KIND OF CRAP IS THIS?!- he bellowed. Neville began to tremble fearly and Hermione tried to keep calm by quickly going over in her mind the process they had followed to make the potion that Snape was criticizing - YOU DRAWED MORE GRAINS OF FIRE SALTS THAN THE RECIPE INDICATES!! YOU DIDN'T WAIT ENOUGH TIME TO ADD POPPY ROOT! AND WHAT IS THIS?! BLOOD?!

Automatically Hermione hid her hand with the wounded finger in the pocket of her robe.

\- GRANGER!! - Snape brought her the glass - DRINK IT!!

\- What?!- said the incredulous girl.

\- DRINK IT!! OR I WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO TAKE THE N.E.W.T OF POTIONS!!

Hermione wouldn't have done it, but at Snape's threat she was afraid, so... she drank the contents of the glass. As she did so, she felt a kind of warmth inside of her and the fear disappeared. A confident smile appeared on her face, and she glanced quickly at her two friends. Ron's mouth was slightly open, his freckled face was red with fury, and Harry looked pale and waved to Hermione to ask how she was doing; she just smiled.

He filled the glass again and threw the contents into Snape's robe, staining it.

\- Why don't you shove this potion up your ass and leave me alone?

Having said that, she took up her rucksack and left the room with a firm step, under the astonished gaze of the teacher and her classmates.

She was in a sort of trance, she walked down the cold corridors leading out of the dungeons and took a passageway to the second floor. She felt a strange joy in her chest and turned her head to the corridor through which she had walked the day before to see her Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher... with a quick movement she turned her way and let herself be guided by a manly aroma she knew very well...

That scent hypnotized her and caused thousands of butterflies to fly in her stomach... and there she was finally, in front of a big wooden door. She put her hand on the lock but did nothing, just stood there trying to think through what she would do.

Then everything seemed to lack logic and she didn't care, she just turned the lock and opened the door quickly…


	3. A Stolen Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione moved her face closer again, until they were only a few inches apart. The young man's face turned a faint pink, while his heart began to beat faster.  
> \- "Do you really want her to get up from there, Remus?"- asked a voice inside his head; the wolf inside him was playing tricks on him.- "Do you dislike having these beautiful legs imprisoning you?"...

A faint breeze warned Remus Lupin that his office door was opened. He looked up from the scroll on which he was writing down the next class and noticed a girl who was completely familiar to him. But this time there was something strange about her: the look in her eyes, it was full of confidence and mischief, matching her lips that drew a faint smile.

The girl closed the door behind her, threw her backpack on the floor and walked up to the desk with a definite step, making Remus look puzzled.

\- Hermione, is something wrong? - he asked somewhat confusedly, pulling the chair away from the desk. The girl immediately took up the space Remus had just left empty by moving his chair a little further away.

He gulped restlessly, something wasn't quite right about it at all. Hermione jumped up and sat down on the desk, not caring that she had done so on top of the scroll Remus was working on before she arrived. He looked at her in confusion, frowning slightly.

\- What are you doing? - he asked, standing up. He approached her with the intention of making her leave the table but she widened her smile.

\- ...I want to tell you something - she spoke for the first time, setting her brown eyes on him - do you remember that a couple of hours ago you asked me what was wrong with me? ...Well, the answer is you, Remus.

A heat came up through Lupin's body, and he got really nervous because he didn't understand Hermione's attitude. But suddenly he realized that this was not the Hermione who attended his classes, the most dedicated, the girl who had accompanied him to tea the previous afternoon.

As Remus, immersed in his thoughts, tried to calm himself, a girl affected by an ill-made potion had caught him by passing her legs around his hips, making them fall into a more than compromising position.

He, stunned by the situation, looked at Hermione with exorbitant eyes; this time she passed both arms around her teacher's neck, making their faces very close to each other...

Remus' complexion had turned a paler colour than usual and he felt a void in his stomach; what if someone opened the door at that very moment and found that scene? How would he manage to convince anyone who saw it that it was nothing of what it seemed? What if the gossiping reached the Ministry of Magic? That could destroy the good reputation he had earned months ago...

On the other hand, Hermione's face was very calm. Their breaths clashed and she slowly approached her face to Remus’... little by little, a few more inches and...

\- Wait- he interrupted, regaining a little firmness- Miss Granger, please get up- he said in a thick voice that burst into the office as his face showed a little discomfort.

Hermione threw her face back a few inches, but did not move from her place. A smile returned to her face.

\- Let's come back to you- she said in a sensual voice. Remus seemed to try to free himself from those legs that were holding him, but without success - do you really want me to get up?

Remus took Hermione by the shoulders trying to pull her away from him, again without success. He was really terrified that someone would find them in that situation; a teacher with a student sitting so suggestively on his desk...

\- Miss Granger, if you don't get up right now I'm going to take 100 points off your house for disrespecting a teacher- he said. Immediately, he noticed how the girl's expression hardened a bit.

\- Honestly, Professor, I don't care how many points you can lower from Gryffindor _now-_ she said smiling again.

\- I'll talk to the Headmaster, Miss Granger- threatened the professor, looking clearly upset and nervous.

Hermione moved her face closer again, until they were only a few inches apart. The young man's face turned a faint pink, while his heart began to beat faster.

\- "Do you really want her to get up from there, Remus?"- asked a voice inside his head; the wolf inside him was playing tricks on him.- "Do you dislike having these beautiful legs imprisoning you?"

Both seemed to be suspended in the moment; Remus was going to say something but Hermione suddenly shut him up with a kiss, a warm and cold kiss at the same time... Remus remained motionless, not being able to believe what was just happening...

He had not been able to stop his pupil and could not stop recriminating himself... and suddenly he found himself holding her by the waist and responding to the kiss she gave him. Their tongues were intertwined, he was letting himself be carried away by the sweet taste of her lips... wait a minute... why was he letting himself be carried away?! He shouldn't!

This last thought brought him abruptly back to reality, it made him finally react taking the girl by the shoulders and pushing her further away.

She was quite cut up, and her face looked sombre; she got up from her teacher's desk and turned her back to him.

Reason seemed to be awaken In a faraway part of her mind; the effect of the unleashing potion was dissipating. A terrible sorrow was taking hold of her, the sorrow of being rejected. Remus found himself with an agitated breath and serious countenance.

\- I will talk to Professor Snape about this- he said, inferring that Severus Snape had made her drink an ill-made potion.

Hermione turned to look at him, her face quickly turning scarlet.

\- All of it? - she asked in a trembling voice.

\- It is clear that the potion you drank affected you more than it should have, Miss Granger- said Remus in a serious tone of voice not often heard in him- we could have got into serious trouble with Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic if someone had found us this way.

The girl looked down in sorrow as her eyes grew wet.

\- I'm sorry Professor... I don't know what came over me... - she started to explain struggling to hold back her tears.

\- We'll talk about that later, Young Granger- he said coldly, walking up to the door and opening it as he waved the girl out.

She understood immediately, so she took her backpack from the floor and quickly walked out of the place, bumping into Sirius Black, who was about to enter the office at that moment.

She didn't even say hello, she just ran, she ran sobbing through the corridors, she didn't want to look anyone in the eye, she even thought seriously about leaving the school.

*********

The bright eyes of the Animagus passed from the corridor where the brunette had disappeared to the werewolf.

\- Was that Hermione?- he asked, confused. Yes, he had seen her well, and she looked bad... although on second thought, Remus looked the same or worse, standing there by his desk... - Don't tell me you failed her...

Remus laughed nervously, and then he looked serious.

\- I wish it was as simple as giving Hermione a bad grade, but you know it's almost impossible to give Hermione a bad grade.

Sirius was now confused, he didn't understand what was going on there. He finished entering the office and closed the door.

\- What happened?- he asked Remus as he saw his dazed look and his totally red face.

Remus lay down on his chair and ran a hand over his face in desperation.

\- I can't believe it- he babbled.

\- What?- Sirius asked again without understanding.

\- I can't believe it... - he repeated- she kissed me...

Sirius now looked at his friend in disbelief.

\- What?!- he asked.

\- She kissed me... Hermione kissed me...- mumbled Remus.

\- Heh heh heh, you must be joking, Moony- said Sirius, laughing nervously as well, but then he saw how Remus stared at the infinite- but how... I mean... why? How was it?

Remus breathed a sigh.

\- Well, a few days ago I noticed her distracted and well, yesterday I talked to her and she seemed to be alright... then, a while ago she came suddenly and sat down here on the table... she hinted to me that I am the cause of her problems and... she kissed me...

\- And you didn't stop her? - wanted to know Sirius.

\- I tried to do it... but I couldn't... - Remus justified himself - and the worst thing of all is that... I kissed her back...

Now the man's complexion was turning sickly pale.

\- Oops...- said Sirius- you were lucky that nobody entered here... that would have been serious...

-…- 

For a few moments they were both silent.

\- And... did you like it? - dared Sirius to ask. Remus bit his lip.

\- I think so... - he mumbled in sorrow. Sirius looked at him impishly.

\- I see...

Remus instantly caught the tone of his friend's voice and what was behind it.

\- But Hermione is just my pupil... nothing else- he declared before Sirius could say anything- even if you look at me with that ridiculous little smirk. I feel nothing for her but the same affection as I do for Harry or Ron, or any of my pupils - he remarked again at the sight of Sirius' face.

\- Come on... - Sirius insisted - Hermione is a not inconsiderable girl... she is pretty, intelligent, mature... you know what I mean.

\- Please Sirius, don't be ridiculous... you're not helping me! She's just a child... - said Remus in despair.

\- Then why did you kissed her back?- challenged Sirius- if you hadn't felt anything special at that moment you wouldn't have done it; you would have stopped her from the beginning as you have done many times with Rita Monaghan.

\- I told you I couldn't... it all happened so quickly... - the Lycan defended himself.

\- Those are only excuses, Remus- said the Animagus- What do you intend to do next time you see her again?

\- I have no idea, I guess I'll have to talk to her, forget everything...- Remus stared at nothing again. What if he didn't want to forget that kiss?- I'll talk to Snape tomorrow.

\- There you go if you want to fool yourself, my friend- whispered Sirius as he looked away.

\- What do you mean? - asked Remus; he preferred to play deaf although he had heard perfectly.

\- Forget it- said Sirius.

Remus couldn't sleep that night. Again and again the sensation of the kiss that Hermione stole from him made his whole body tingle.

In the meantime, she was really depressed and distressed... the fact that she could be expelled from Hogwarts did not worry her so much as the fact that she had given away so stupidly the attraction she felt to her teacher. And he... he had turned her down.


	4. An Awkward Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He hadn't been able to sleep a wink all night because of her, and even though he didn't want to accept it, at that moment he was as nervous as she was because deep inside he wanted to kiss her again...

A dim light hit her right in the face. She passed her arm over it, trying to sleep a little longer. After changing position several times, she slowly opened her eyes. The red dossal was in front of her.

She stood up slowly, quite tired. The weather was a bit cold, it would probably be past ten in the morning. She stretched lazily when something made her heart stop.

\- CLASSES!! - she shouted as she jumped out of bed, ran to the bathroom and began to undress. She knew she wouldn't make it to first class, McGonagall would be really upset at her since she was the prefect of Gryffindor and was supposed to be an example to the other students.

She jumped into the shower and raised her face against the warm water jet so that she could wash away the traces of tears on her cheeks. Although her concern about being late for class was great, it was quickly displaced by this feeling that had kept her awake all night.

\- What are you going to do in his class today? - she wondered quietly as an uncomfortable knot grew in her chest - I won't be attending...

Quickly she got out of the shower, putting on her uniform in a hurry and carelessly, brushing her teeth and hair. She put a little gloss on her lips and a little make-up on her eyes to disguise how swollen they were.

She came out of the bathroom, grabbed her briefcase and left the girls' seventh grade room. The stairs seemed longer than usual.

When she arrived at the common room she found it strangely full, many of the students were there. She looked at them in confusion as she walked to Harry and Ron who were talking in front of the fireplace.

\- Hello boys - she greeted them trying to do her typical enthusiastic voice, but she knew they knew her very well.

\- Were you crying? - asked Harry bluntly.

Hermione started to feel uneasy; this was going to be one of those talks in which they would tell her she was acting weird, what was wrong with her, and she just didn't want to remember anything.

\- No- she replied, intending to end the conversation.

\- It doesn't seem like that- continued Ron foolishly- you've been acting suspiciously...

\- I told you I'm fine- she answered sharply- so, why aren't you attending class?

Ron looked at Harry as if confirming something and then looked at Hermione with a piercing glance.

\- Maybe because today is Saturday...?- said Harry then to laugh at Hermione's face. She opened her mouth a few inches and noticed that neither of them was wearing the uniform.

\- Don't laugh, Harry- she reproached him angrily- I'll be right back.

Hermione hurried to the girls' room, everyone in the common room followed her with their eyes, some laughing when she was already out of sight.

This was serious and she knew it, lately he had lost even the notion of time. She was very sorry for what had just happened, but she still had a lot of problems. It was not worthy to worry about something as small as an oversight... she had to manage somehow to stop Harry and Ron from asking her what was wrong, she needed to find a way to dodge Lupin...

She walked into the room and pulled out a dark gray T-shirt and tight jeans. She put on a navy blue robe to protect herself from the cool weather that morning in late January.

She hurried down to the common room where Harry and Ron were waiting for her. After talking a bit about the potions lesson they had the day before, they decided to go for a walk around the castle kitchen, since none of the three had come down in time for breakfast.

\- It's not fair that because of Neville you had to drink that potion - continued Ron right in front of the fruit box picture that was the secret passage to the kitchens.

\- Good thing you didn't do something crazy like stealing a kiss from Ron or something - Harry was beginning to laugh out loud as Ron and Hermione turned bright red.

Hermione looked down sadly. Harry thought it was funny that she would have stolen a kiss from Ron... but what he didn't know was that she had actually stole a kiss... a kiss that she had secretly wanted for several months and that sadly didn't turn out the way she would have liked.

\- How funny, Harry- said Ron sarcastically as the painting gave them a perfect view of the kitchens.

The trio entered the place where several domestic elves came to offer them different delicacies that all three gladly accepted. They settled down on a big rectangular table while they ate different cookies, cakes, pies... accompanied by orange juice and so on.

\- What do we do this afternoon? - said Ron with his mouth full, as if he hadn't eaten for several years.

\- What? - Hermione asked, looking disgusted as she said in her typical bossy voice- Ron, swallow before you speak!

Harry was laughing again at the two of them fighting.

\- How delicate- complained Ron- I asked “what-are-we-going-to-do-this-afternoon"- he repeated slowly and clearly, as if explaining to a small child.

\- Shall we visit Hagrid? - This time it was Harry who spoke as he put some bread in his mouth.

Hermione concentrated a little on her food. She didn't feel much like getting out of the tower of Gryffindor but it would clear her mind a bit; besides, it had been a long time since she had spoken to her friends, really having a deep talk.

The kitchen door was oppened and two adults came in. One was dressed in his typical black robe, his black hair, which had been long for many years, now was cut in a way that suited him quite well, and he was showing a perfect white smile on a face full of life. Lately, Sirius Black was appearing relatively frequently at school because of his new job as Security Supervisor of Hogwarts and the surrounding area.

The other adult was wearing a grey sweater and a black scarf, his eyes were fixed on the floor and his light brown hair was falling down over his scarred face. Although he looked a little pale and sick this morning, he held a nice smile.

The three friends looked up to see who dared to disturb the quietness of their breakfast. The young adults looked at each other as they realized who was sitting with the two boys.

Hermione immediately stared at the table, looking for any excuse to get away from that place. The atmosphere became quite tense.

Sirius patted Remus several times in support, as he looked to his right, looking for any sign of an elf to come and get him out.

\- Sirius!- cried Harry, rising from his place to go and embrace his godfather- I didn't know you had arrived...

\- It was a surprise, Harry- he said with a fatherly tone as he mussed his godson's hair.

Harry smiled at him, Ron also stood up and greeted Sirius and his teacher warmly. Then all eyes were on Hermione, who still with her eyes on the table said a barely audible 'Hello.

\- Hello Hermione, long time no see - said Sirius with intentions of breaking the silence.

Hermione quickly got up from the table, knocking over Ron's orange juice, who made a desperate attempt to prevent it from being thrown away.

\- I'll see you later- she said, rolling her eyes quickly over everyone in the room (omitting only one)- I forgot to do some homework... of... - she started to circle with her hand really nervously - uh... See? I've even forgotten it.

Hermione turned red when she noticed Remus' look on her.

The tears struggled out of her eyes as she hurried down the aisle, a long aisle. And then, of all the people who lived there, she had to meet him. A crystalline tear came down her cheek.

\- Hermione - that voice... that voice called out to her behind her back. She slowed down, struggling with her conscience that was screaming at her to run away.

He was behind her, that person put a hand on her shoulder making her turn around to be face to face. She stared at the floor, she couldn't look at him... she felt his gaze on her; what would she do?

\- Oh my God, you're crying- he said worriedly. He well knew it was because of him... And him? What did he feel?

He hadn't been able to sleep a wink all night because of her, and even though he didn't want to accept it, at that moment he was as nervous as she was because deep inside he wanted to kiss her again, to taste the sweetness of her lips...

\- It's just that I have allergies in my eyes... "What a stupid excuse!"- she thought to herself, and then smiled and made fun of herself. He smiled too.

\- I need to talk... about what happened yesterday- Remus spoke clearly. Hermione finally had the courage to look up and see him.

\- There's no need for that. You see, Professor... I'll understand if I'm kicked out of school for being too bold... I didn't know what I was doing, I'm sorry I offended you that way... - Hermione spoke very quickly and he began to reassure her.

Remus felt a bit awkward but he spoke carefully.

\- Hey, you're not going to get kicked out of school, Hermione - he told her trying to calm her down - you were not in your right mind, you were under the effect of a potion that, as far as I know, Severus forced you to drink... and I admit it, yesterday I was upset but not because of you... it was because of the suddenness of the situation, I was afraid that someone would discover us, I just didn't know what to do...

\- You didn't do anything, profesor- answered Hermione, her eyes were now getting a little sad.

\- That doesn't matter anymore- he said with a muffled voice- I don't want you to feel bad or anything... you must know that I have forgotten everything- he added with the intention of making her feel better but she didn't. And he realized thaat.- "How come I can't do anything right?"- he reproached himself.

A silence reigned in the aisle.

\- I’d better be going now - said Remus, making a gesture to return to the kitchens - I hope you'll finish all your homework...

\- And one of those will be to disappear- she said in a rather sad whisper. Remus listened to her and watched her walk away.

Worried and without realizing it, he admired the girl's body, because she was perfect; with that smile that showed cunning, a vivacious look in those brown eyes, her long brown and wavy hair that made her unique and a rather thin figure that even covered by a robe gave her an incomparable elegance.

That girl who in the last few months had been kind enough to visit him in the nursery after every full moon, that girl who won everything she set out to do but was also very unsure of herself. Remus knew it, Hermione didn't have much confidence in herself as a woman. As she disappeared around the corner, he felt an enormous urge to run after her and tell her how beautiful he found her.

Then he realized what kind of thoughts he was having and silenced them harshly. What did he think? He was twenty years older than her, he could be her father!

But he wasn't...


	5. Sirius?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ... Was that Sirius? And what the hell was she doing in the middle of the woods kissing Sirius Black?

It was Monday. Lupin was in his first class of the day with the seventh graders from Gryffindor. He saw that all his pupils were there... except for one. That one person who was always the first one to be there: at least that was the case until a few days ago.

He began to explain the topic of the class, although he was actually distracted and unconsciously turned around to see in case she would arrive.

In the meantime, Hermione was walking quietly through the corridors of the castle... she didn't really know how to act; her first class of the day was with Remus Lupin.

She sighed in sorrow as she took care not to be seen by anyone who might take points from Gryffindor. Although she had the perfect excuse for being out of class: a horrible headache... she was acting very immaturely and she knew it, but she just didn't want to see him. She was afraid after what happened on Friday, after that conversation on Saturday when he told her clearly that he had forgotten all what happened in his office the day before...

She looked at her watch. 30 minutes late... if she didn't hurry, probably she wouldn't understand anything about the class later, so with a superhuman effort and struggling with what was right and what hurt... she walked slowly back to the DADA room. Reason had won the heart...

She stood right in front of the big wooden door wondering if she would knock first or just walk in...

Then she heard footsteps coming from across the hall: it was Argus Filch.

\- Granger, what the hell are you doing out of class?

Hermione began to stutter trying to spin an excuse, but she really didn't want to lie.

\- I, uh...

\- Do you realize what time it is?- the man asked, showing his filthy yellow teeth.

\- Yes, sir, it's just that... I was in the nursery...- she managed to say.

\- So in the nursery... Miss Granger, I don't know what kind of a fool you're taking me for- said Filch, acting as if he'd been told the worst thing he'd ever heard.

Then a voice behind Hermione's back intervened.

\- I don't see why Miss Granger would lie to you, Argus.

Filch relaxed his countenance.

\- Professor Lupin- he said more respectfully- I found her very amused looking at the door... I think she is lying without a doubt.

\- Such an exemplary pupil as Miss Granger would not lie about being late, right Hermione?- Lupin looked at Hermione as if he himself wanted her to say that, that what she had told Filch about her being late was not a mere excuse to dodge him...

Hermione nodded quickly, looking at the two adults.

\- So it's said- remarked Remus, who smiled even though he wasn't quite convinced.

\- I hope I don't see you wandering the halls during school hours again, Granger- was the janitor's farewell just before he left.

Remus looked at Hermione as if expecting her to say a few words of thankfulness or just a greeting, but she quickly entered the classroom without saying anything and instead of taking her usual seat at the front of the class, she went to the back.

\- Well, as I was saying, the Inferi have a certain parentage with Zombies- Remus continued to tell the rest of the class- does anyone know why?

Everyone was silent.

\- “The Inferi, same as Zombies, are corpses manipulated with dark magic"- Hermione thought, looking out the window.

Seamus raised his hand.

\- Both are used as involuntary slaves through dark magic- he said. Lupin pondered this for a few seconds.

Again silence formed in the room. The teacher instinctively stared at Hermione, waiting for her to speak as usual, but now the girl didn't even look at him.

He couldn't help but feel some nostalgia and guilt. He could feel how she was making enormous efforts to avoid him.

\- "This can't be happening, she can't be doing this to me"- Remus thought- What do you say, Hermione? Do you agree with Seamus' answer?

She turned to him and with a gesture of indifference, she said:

\- I don't know - and she turned around again.

\- Are you sure?- insisted Remus, unable to believe the girl's answer.

\- Yes, profesor- she answered sharply.

The remaining class time was eternal for both of them. As soon as the bell rang, she quickly grabbed her books and was the first one to leave the classroom.

Being there made her feel anguished and frustrated... after what happened on Friday, she didn't even dare to be in the same place as him. Although... despite all the anguish she was going through, part of her felt that that stolen kiss had taken her to heaven...

*********

\- Harry, Ron- called Remus, reaching out to the boys in the hall.

\- Hello, professor.

\- Hey, what's the matter with Hermione?- he asked without beating about the bush. Harry and Ron looked at each other.

\- We don't know- answered Harry with concern- but we think something happened to her on Friday after the potions class and she doesn't want to tell us...

\- Yes- confirmed Ron- on Saturday she got up at ten o'clock in the morning and rushed down to the common room thinking that she would be late for class... plus she had swollen eyes.

\- I'll talk to her- said Remus- see you later.

And he walked away from the boys.

\- He's been acting a little strange too- said Ron as soon as the teacher disappeared. Harry nodded. It was true; Remus had been very strange too. Leaving the kitchens in a sudden, worrying about talking to Hermione… something wasn't right and it had to do with them both.

**********

Remus walked quickly down the hall looking for Hermione, he had to talk to her. He didn't know why her behaviour in his class made him feel so bad and so helpless at the same time; it was as if she didn't want to see him any more and that hurt him, even though he didn't want to admit it.

He took a turn in a corridor and headed just for the stairs when he heard a voice very familiar to him.

\- Let me go, Malfoy, or you will see- said Hermione's angry voice. It seemed that they were not far away. It was easier for him to hear due his keener senses as a result of his lycanthropy. He walked a little more slowly and quietly, he was already closer to the place where the voices were coming from.

\- But Granger, I told you I come with peacefull intentions- said Draco's voice in its typical sober tone, although it was clear that he had no intention of fighting.

\- Please- snorted Hermione ironically- don't be cynical, Malfoy, what sort of a fool are you taking me for? Let go of me before I start screaming- she warned.

\- Not until you tell me you accept- Malfoy refused.

Remus picked up the pace a little more. Draco was up to something, he knew it and he had to find Hermione before...

\- I said let me go!- Hermione's voice grew louder, and at that moment she came out of a room very disheveled, right in front of Lupin. She looked at him and blushed immediately but soon her expression on her face became severe.

\- Is something wrong Hermione?- asked Lupin, trying to help.

\- No- she answered coldly and then looked at Draco, as he cameo ut of the room with a mocking smile. Remus raised one eyebrow more than the other.

\- Are you sure?- he asked in a lower voice.

\- Of course, Professor- she answered sharply- now if you'll excuse me… - she said and walked off down the corridor and up the stairs.

Remus frowned as he watched Hermione get lost on the stairs. Then he looked down at a Draco, who was smiling mischievously.

\- There's no respect for teachers these days- he said in a mock reproachful tone as he shook his head, not erasing the smile from his face. Remus frowned again.

\- Are you trying to tell me something, Mr. Malfoy? I would appreciate it if you would explain yourself- he tried to choose his words well.

\- Not at all- he squinted- I better leave, actually I have more interesting things to do.

Remus instantly turned and left, he had no intention of permitting Malfoy to be the one to turn his back on him. He breathed deeply in an attempt to calm himself down a bit, but no matter how hard he tried, the knot in his throat would not go away.

Malfoy stood there, watching him walk away.

**********

Hermione hurried up the stairs, two floors up she stood exhausted and after examining that no one was following her, she leaned against the solid wall and hugged herself, as if giving herself support. She closed her eyes and sighed.

\- Dodging him is going to be more difficult than I thought- she said sadly in reference to Lupin. Immediately another question assailed her- I would like to know what that idiot Malfoy is up to... he wants me to be his tutor at Muggles Studies... I don’t believe any word he said…

Hermione stood up and walked slowly to the library.

On her way there, she felt a lot of eyes on her. She knew that it was only her imagination, that sensation of guilt that would not leave her alone... an infinite shame and a sorrow that killed all her feelings.

As she entered the library she went to the back, looked for a book in the defense against the dark arts section that would help her to go deeper into the subject seen in class. She settled down on one of the more hidden tables.

\- "Evil Creatures".

She read the title and lost herself in thought. She remembered the class she had just left, those blue eyes that never stopped looking at her while she was there...

\- "Enough, I'm not going to think about it anymore!" - she said to herself, looking back at the book.

_"Inferi, (singular Inferius), are human corpses that have been possessed by dark magic to do with them whatever a dark wizard desires. They do not possess any magical ability. If it is only one, it will be no problem to defeat it, but they are always together, which is a huge problem for whoever must evade them. It is not known for sure what distinguishes Inferi from Zombies but in Muggle folklore both are considered the same creature..."_

Hermione looked at the illustrations in the book for an unconscious distraction, then looked down at the table, observing every detail... each time her eyelids became heavier and heavier until they were completely closed.

*** A cold wind embraced her, burning her cheeks and her lips. Giant trees stood around her, and far away in the darkness she could see a small wooden hut with a fireplace from which little smoke came out.

The hut was quite familiar to her. She began to look for someone, someone who had her extremely worried.

A tear threatened to come out of her eyes as she felt a pressure on her chest, she was really alarmed and upset.

\- Were you looking for me? - asked a thick voice behind her back. She turned quickly to meet him there...

Those black eyes were looking at her piercingly, an embarrassment took hold of her as it had never happened to her before; then she stared down to his lips, those lips so sensual... he smiled showing his white teeth. Her heart accelerated as she watched him approach her slowly, very confident of himself as he had always been. With each step he took, his black hair floated in the air, losing itself in the darkness of the forest and giving the impression that everything was running in slow motion.

She could make out the damp smell and how the raindrops began to wet their clothes. Soon he was within inches of her, placing his strong arms around her waist, pulling her to him as if he owned her... and she could not help smiling. She smiled as she found him so beautiful, so irresistible, so perfect... he approached his face slowly to hers, she could already feel his breath crashing against hers, his warm breath... a pleasant chill ran down her back as a tingling sensation rose through her stomach... then their lips were together...***

\- Hermione... Hermione!!- the last call woke her up suddenly, making her sit up quickly still feeling a pleasant vertigo in her stomach, even that tingling remained in her and her heart was beating fast.

\- Sirius? - was the first thing she asked, still in a daze.

Harry and Ron looked at each other, puffing up both eyes, and then beginning to laugh out of control. That's when she realized; she wasn't in any woods, she was in the Hogwarts library. She had fallen asleep on top of the book of Evil Creatures.

\- What would you be dreaming- said Harry laughing as he looked with tearful eyes at Ron who was as red because of the laughter.

\- That's enough... you're all immature- she said annoyingly, getting up from the table and taking the book and putting it in her bag- we'd better hurry up for the next class...

Harry and Ron looked at each other again.

\- Hermione... you didn't attend any of the morning clases- Ron informed her- we came to look for you because we were very worried, you are not usually absent... so we found you here asleep.

Hermione tried to conceal the perplexity she felt as she listened to what Ron had just said.

\- I'll go and talk to McGonagall immediately to justify my absence- she said rather worriedly, walking quickly to the door.

\- And how do you plan to do that? - asked Ron from her right side.

\- You're not going to tell her that you fell asleep in the library, are you? - asked Harry. Both boys were struggling to keep up with Hermione, who stopped abruptly.

\- Right- she said in a slightly disappointed tone- I don't know what I can say, I suppose it must be the truth.

\- Are you out of your mind?!- asked Ron- especially today, when the Professor seems to be very upset...

\- I can't do anything Ron, it's my fault- she said as she made her way back to McGonagall's office- I'll see you in the Great Hall- she said letting them understand that she didn't want to be followed. She wanted to be alone, especially after that dream. It was the strangest dream she'd ever had... Was that Sirius? And what the hell was she doing in the middle of the woods kissing Sirius Black?

She shook her head to get her thoughts away.

\- “I'll end up in St. Mungo if I go on like this"- she said to herself.


End file.
